Chapter 464 That day, darkness consumed Mitchel's life.
Alexis and Luciana got into their worst fight yet. They hurled insults like "mistress," "old beast," and "nagging wife' at each other, words the young Mitchel wouldn't expect from such a refined couple.
Later, when Alexis hit Luciana in a huff, Mitchel jumped in, taking the blow meant for her.
Fed up with the tense atmosphere at home, Mitchel got into the car and told the driver to just head south, no destination in mind.
They wandered aimlessly until they nearly ran into Raegan, who was picking up her practice books from the ground.
The driver barely managed to stop in time, failing to see Raegan until the last second. Stepping out, the driver scolded Raegan sternly.
Tears streaming down her face, Raegan apologized and then stood on the roadside, clutching her ripped practice
books and wearing a drenched cotton jacket.
It was then Mitchel noticed Raegan was without shoes, in freezing weather, her pants soaked through.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe driver, feeling guilty for scolding Raegan, thought she looked too pitiful. His worry was that if he didn't scare her a bit, she could end up in danger with other drivers.
Feeling the stare from Mitchel in the car, Raegan quickly slipped on her shoes, gave a small bow to the driver, and got ready to walk away.
Mitchel offered Raegan a ride, but she declined, "No, I'm soaking wet. Il mess up your car." Mitchel chuckled, looking at her mud-splattered, kitten-like face, and replied, "You look pretty clean to me." Raegan glanced down once more.
Mitchel inquired, "Think I'm up to no good?" Raegan shook her head. It was her first encounter with such a good-looking and neat young man, stirring a strangely familiar feeling within her. Her gut feeling
assured her he was trustworthy.
Just then, Raegan's grandmother's neighbor came by and offered her a ride home.
Raegan quickly expressed her gratitude to Mitchel and hopped into the neighbor's tricycle.
Mitchel noticed the damaged practice books, reminded of Raegan's tears. For the first time, he felt a sudden urge to follow Raegan, a girl he had just met.
After watching Raegan enter a house, Mitchel sent his driver to the local bookstore.
He called the bookstore, described the practice books, and went to pick them up, noticing its price was $72.80. Mitchel found it ironic. Some shed tears over $72.80, while others argue about petty issues despite being wealthy. When Mitchel got back to Reegan's house, he didn't want to bother her, so he quietly left the practice books by her door. To him, it was just a small gesture, not knowing it would be a lifeline for someone losing hope.
Raegan, with a smile, said, "You now remembered? But upon thinking back, | was just like a kitten covered in mud back then. | wouldn't blame you if you didn't. The morning | found the practice books, my first thought was of you. You once said | was very clean. Honestly, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.
I even remembered the start of your car's license plate. | heard it was from Ardlens, a place | thought | could never reach. After that, | pushed myself to study harder and eventually got into Ardlens. Coming from a small town, | found it hard to adjust to the fast pace of the big city, and | nearly gave up.
Then, one day, | saw your interview on a big LED screen downtown. The magazine was calling you a 'genius youth.
Right then, | wasn't just happy to see you. | felt even smaller, wondering if | could ever match up. But at the end of the interview, you looked straight into the camera and said, Don't let setbacks scare you off from chasing your dreams. They're there to strengthen you, not to defeat you
Those words were like a light on a dark winter's night, guiding Raegan way. They motivated her to keep going.
Thanks to that motivation, she became the better version of herself. Her challenging experiences molded her, making her someone who contributed positively to society.
Mitchel's kindness had transformed her into a warm- hearted person. As Mitchel listened, tears welled up in his eyes. To be honest, he had never really visited Tenassie before. He only made a quick stop there, not even aware it was called Tenassie. It was a brief half-hour stop in his life, but it deeply affected Raegan.
At that moment, he felt an overwhelming sadness. Raegan had overcome so much to be with him, yet he had questioned her time and time again due to misunderstandings.
Mitchel drew Raegan close, his voice breaking as he cried.
"Raegan, I'm so sorry. You've endured so much..." Now, he understood why Erick was so doting toward Raegan. Even though Raegan was the youngest daughter of the Foster family and was expected to be spoiled, she
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmfaced many hardships after getting lost as a child. How could he not feel the need to spoil Raegan? "Mitchel, you were my savior back then, but afterward..." Raegan's voice broke, struggling to speak. "You deeply hurt me. | did everything | could to be with you, but when Lauren came back, all my efforts seemed pointless overnight." Hearing her words, Mitchel's heart felt like it was being torn apart. He couldn't forgive himself.
Raegan didn't just point out the faults in others. She was honest about her own mistakes as well. For she and Mitchel to be together, they needed to put everything on the table and really clear the air.
"With Henley's meddling, | misjudged. Back in college, he was always there for me and other juniors, so | never doubted his intentions," Raegan admitted. "I get how his meddling hurt you, too. The real problem between us was we never actually sat down to talk things through." Henley's meddling really shook up their already shaky
relationship, tying Mitchel in knots he couldn't loosen. Now, Raegan made it clear. She had eyes only for him, always had, and nobody else. Anything with Henley was all a misunderstanding. He despised himself for not asking and clearing things up, instead choosing to arrogantly keep her close.
Raegan now wanted to get their relationship back on track.
Since they both cared for each other so deeply, why not give it another shot? Especially since Janey loved Mitchel.
One didn't get many chances in life to waste time. Raegan couldn't bear the thought of going through separation again. She said with all her heart, "Let's make a promise to keep no secrets from now on. If we get things wrong, let's talk it out right away. No giving each other the cold shoulder or trying to make each other jealous, okay?" Mitchel felt as if his heart was being fiercely tugged.
Raegan was just too kind. She wasn't only ready to let go of the past but also eager to work on their future together.
That was just how genuine she was. When she fell in love, she was all in. He muttered to himself, "What had | done to
receive such kindness from her? Noticing Mitchel quiet, Raegan started to worry a bit. But before she could overthink, Mitchel leaned in and gave her a simple, affectionate kiss on the forehead, without any hint of desire.
He told her solemnly, "Raegan, if | ever let you down again, may | never find peace."